Reason to cheer for patients as scientists decipher early clues to Alzheimer's

The image of Amitabh Bachchan losing his way to his house in Bollywood blockbuster Black was a poignant moment marking the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Indian scientists can now bring some cheer to such patients in real life with a new technique for early diagnosis of the disease. The diagnostic tool, developed by researchers at the National Brain Research Centre (NBRC) at Manesar, is faster and noninvasive.

All one needs to do is undergo a sophisticated imaging test called Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) - just like an MRI - that detects early signatures of Alzheimer's.

The image of Amitabh Bachchan losing his way to his house in Bollywood blockbuster Black was a poignant moment marking the onset of Alzheimer's disease

The scan is completed within 15 minutes. NBRC researchers have found that depletion of a brain chemical called glutathione (GSH) in certain regions of frontal cortex is an indication of the Alzheimer's. The chemical is an indicator of oxidative stress in the brain.

The research team has found that acidity levels in left hippocampus region of the brain can also be used to diagnose Alzheimer's.

'We have detected and mapped glutathione, which is an anti-oxidant marker, in the brains of both healthy and Alzheimer's patients through MRS and have found that its levels are lower in patients with mild cognitive disorders and Alzheimer's,' Dr Pravat Mandal, who led the research team, said.

In patients with Alzheimer's, glutathione levels were low in left frontal cortex in women and in right frontal cortex in the case of men.

The distribution of glutathione can vary within brain regions as well.

Lower levels of GSH as shown in brain scans need to be correlated with behavioural and clinical signs of the disease before a final diagnosis is made, Mandal pointed out. In any case, he said, larger studies have been planned to show that glutathione depletion is specific to Alzheimer's.

In India, the number of patients with Alzheimer's and related disorders is estimated to be 3.7 million.

The Planning Commission subgroup dealing with policies relating to the elderly has suggested setting up of a dedicated national centre for dementia and mental diseases during the 12th plan period, according to Mathew Cherian of HelpAge India.